This invention relates to an improved method of combining or intermixing the contents of two (2) containers which can be flexible wall containers, rigid wall containers, or semirigid wall containers. The containers can contain sterile contents or nonsterile contents. The contents can be liquid and/or powders. The containers can be joined to the attaching elements of the invention at one time and at a later time the device can be activated and the contents can be mixed without effecting the sterility or the cleanliness of the contents. The attaching elements of the invention are capable of being attached to the rigid, semirigid or flexible wall container that has clamping or threaded attaching means. The elements are capable of functioning with the containers sealed with resilient stoppers or with bonded membrane members or any combination of seals. The elements of this invention allow the passageway for intermixing the contents to be almost as large as the exit or inlet port of the containers. They also allow the flow of the contents to go in either or both directions, that is, into either container. The elements also can lock the containers to the elements so that they or the device must be destroyed in order to separate the containers.
Prior patents which show a method for mixing two materials include Nos. 4,614,267, to Larkin; 4,703,864 to Larkin; 4,614,515 to Tripp; 4,610,684 to Knox; 3,532,254 to Bork; 3,290,017 to Davies; and 2,176,923 to Nitardy. These devices are deficient in that they do not enable the intermixing to occur between rigid, semirigid or flexible containers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,267, although providing for sterile mixing, must utilize a flexible bag for one of the containers. The flexible bag is necessary since the operation of removing the seal plugs must be done from the outside of the flexible bag which is very cumbersome and time consuming.
It is therefore a principle object of this invention to provide an improved means to intermix two sterile materials without breaking sterility.
It is another object of this invention to provide a means to intermix two materials simply by moving the containers from the first assembled position to the second activating position.
It is another object of this invention to provide a means to intermix two materials when needed while enabling the two containers to be joined awaiting mixing for any length of time for storage.
It is another object of this invention to provide a means to intermix materials regardless of whether the materials are packaged in containers with rigid walls, semirigid walls or flexible walls.
It is another object of this invention to provide a means for intermixing materials from two containers and preventing the containers from being separated without destruction to prevent reuse of the components.
It is another object of this invention to provide for intermixing material from two containers with a minimum of obstruction to the flow of the materials.
It is another object of this invention to provide for intermixing material from two containers which utilize as few parts as possible and which is low in cost to produce.
These and other objects of this present invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description.